Crossing structure



Nov. 20, 1934. A. s. JONES CROSSING STRUCTURE Filed June 12, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 20, 1934. s JONES CROSSING STRUCTURE Filed June 12, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Nov. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

My invention relates to means for permitting a continuous unimpeded flow of trahic across an intersection of streets or highways.

While numerous proposals for accelerating the flow of city traffic have beenmade heretofore, so far as I am aware, all of these proposals involve the construction of elaborate and expensive overhead or underground structures which are objectionable for many reasons in addition to the expense of installation. I have invented a crossing structure which overcomes the objections characterizing those known previously and which is marked by a number of novel departures from the known means for routing trafiic so as to minimize delay, interference, and accidents.

According to the invention, I provide elevated roadways for carrying through traflic on one of two intersecting streets across the intersection. Through traffic on the other intersecting street is carried by depressed roadways or tunnels. Turning trafiic is accommodated by elevated roadways extending from each street into the other. According to a modification of the invention, the through traffic lanes of one street are combined with turning trafiic lanes so as to make the structure adaptable to a street of less width.

According to a further modification of the invention, provision is made for separating traffic at intersections of one-way streets, as well as providing for turns from each street into the other. This modification embodies elevated and depressed through traffic lanes and elevated turning traffic lanes.

A further modification of my invention contemplates the separation of two-way traffic on a dead-end Street intersecting a through street. In this modification of the invention, the through street is provided with a depressed through lane and an elevated lane, as well as a through lane at grade, Turns may be made from the latter into a lane at grade in the dead-end street. Turns may also be made from the through street by means of an undergrade lane branching from the depressed through lane. Turns may be made from the dead-end street in either direction onto the through street by means of an elevated roadway branching in two directions and extending down to the street grade. 50 The modifications of the invention hereinabove mentioned in no wise represent the limits in which the invention is applicable. Still further modifications are easily possible and will, no doubt, occur to those skilled in the art. Al-

though I shall describe certain preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the latter do not limit the scope of the invention since many variations in the embodiments described may be made within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, 7

Figure l is a top plan view of a crossing structure according to the present invention, in which two streets intersecting at right angles carry twoway traffic and have provisions for right turning traffic on both streets;

Figure 2 is a sectional view, taken along the line II-II of Figure 1, parts being shown in elevation;

Figure 3 is a sectional view, taken along the line III-III of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a modified form of crossing structure which is adapted for installation in a street somewhat narrower than that in which the embodiment in Figure 1 can be installed;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a structure which may be employed for the separation of traffic flowing along intersecting one-way streets and providing for turns from each street into the other; and

Figure 6 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention adapted to separate traflic at the intersection of a dead-end street with a through street.

Although I shall employ the term street in the following description and in the appended claims, it will be obvious that the invention is applicable also to intersections of roads, highways, avenues, and boulevards, as well as intersections of street or interurban railway lines with highways, and the term street is to be construed accordingly.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, a twoway street 10 has parallel building lines 11 on the opposite sides thereof. The sidewalk lines 95 are indicated at 12. A street 13 intersects the street 10 at an angle, for example, a right angle, as shown in Figure 1. The building lines of the street 13 are shown at 14 and the sidewalk lines at 15.

In order to permit two-way traflic on each of the streets 10 and 13, as well'as turning traflic, without danger of delay, interference, or accident, I provide an elevated structure, indicated generally at 16, and undergrade passages or tun- ,105 nels 17 and 18. In its preferred form, the elevated structure 16 comprises a bridge portion 19 and ramps leading upwardly thereto from points within the blocks adjacent the intersection. The ramps are divided into traffic lanes, indicated by the reference numerals 20 through 31. The undergrade passages 17 and 18 are provided with ramps 32 through 35. The lanes 20 through 31 may, for the sake of safety, be separated by low curbs 36.

The lanes 22 and 27 of the ramps leading to the elevated structure 16 constitute an elevated roadway over the intersection for through traffic on the street 10. Through traffic in the other direction on the street 10 is similarly cared for 20, 31 accommodate trafiic turning right from" the street 13 into the street 10.

It will be apparent from the foregoing descrip-.'

tion that the invention provides through, unobstructed arteries for trafiic from either direction.

going straight ahead, or making turns. Since one-way trafiic only exists in the aforementioned lanes, the flow of traffic is accelerated without danger, of tie-up or accident. 7 One of the advantages of the invention is that, since all trafiic is removed from the grade level at the intersection, except that necessary for loading purposes, the grade crossing. at the intersection is made entirely safe for pedestrians. Iii-addition, considerable areas of valuable ground floor space beneath the structure 16, indicated generally at 37, are released for commercial purposes. Pedestrians cross the street 10 at grade adjacent the intersection. For crossing fthe street 13, abridge 38 is provided to carry pedestrians'over the passages 17 and 18. The elevated structure 16 need not be very high since no vehicular traific passes beneath it, except that in the passages 1'7 and- 18- The depth of the latter will,.- of course, depend upon the overhead clearance desired. Obviously, the height'of the structurelfi, the depth of the passages 17 and 18,. and the elevation of the pedestri-an bridge 38 can bevaried Widely in order to meet the requirements of any particular situation. If the street 13, for example, carries rail traflic, a greater clearance'will be necessary than vehicular traffic only uses thestreets Preferably,. the passages 17 and 18 are open at the top and are protected by suitable guard rails, although a continuous roof may be provided if desired.

The elevated structure itselfis composed of structural steel and concrete and is supported oncolumns- 39 according-to known methods of construction.

While the invention does not contemplate, in the embodiments shown in Figures 1 through 3, means for permitting left turns, the equivalent .oi v a left turn can be made by traveling around a block by means of right turns in the manner now necessary where left turns are prohibited.

In addition toutilizing the ground floor space beneath the structure 16,- other" floor space at the basement level may be provided by suitably excavating below the street grade, the area beneath the ramps and bridge portions of the structure.

A modified form of the invention suitable for use in connection with narrow streets is shown in Figure 41; This figure shows the intersection of streets 40 and 41", both carrying two-way traiiie. The through traffi'c' on the street 40 is accommodated by passages below grade, indicated at 42 and 43. I Through traffic on the street 4'1 is accommodated by elevated roadways 44' and 45. Right turning traific from the street 40- is carried over the passages 42' and 43 by means of elevated roadways 46 and 47. Similarly, right turning traffic from the street 41 is carried over the passages 42 andfi43 by elevated roadways 48' and 49.

It will be noted that the roadways 44 and are offset on opposite sides of the street 40. This is to permit the use of the roadway 45 both for through trafiic on the street 41 and for traflic turning right therefrom on tothe roadway 49 into the. street 40. The sameapplies to the roadway 48 since a turn may be made thereinto from the roadway 44 or trafiic may proceed over the. intersection and through the ofiset to the descending ramp. The roadways for turning right into the street 41 may be carried down to grade separately from the roadways 44 and 45 or they may merge with the latter. The former arrangement is believed to be preferable from a. safety standpoint.

In the modification shown in Figure 4, as well as that shown in Figure 1, commercial floor space is available under the eleva'ted roadways.v No

vehicular trafiic crosses the intersection at grade and pedestrians are entirely safe to cross .at will. 4

It must be borne in mind that some vehicular movement at street grade is inevitable if loading at the. street line is permitted; Bridges 50' carry pedestriansover the passages 42 and 43* and I beneath the overhead structure. 7

' Referring now toFi'gure 5, there is'sh'o'wn' a means providing the separation of traific on intersecting one-way streets 51 and 52, aswell' as for providing turns from both streets into the other. This modification of the invention comprises an overhead roadway 53 traversing the street 51, portions of the roadway on opposite sides of the intersection being offset slightly. Through trafiic on the street 52 is handled by a depressed passage 54 passing under the elevated roadway 53. For making a turn from the street 51 into the street 52, an elevatedroadway 55 is provided. A similar roadway 56 permits right turns from the street 52 into the street 51. A bridge 5'7 carries pedestrian traffic over the depressed passage 54 below the overhead roadway 53. The roadway 53 may be separated. from the roadway 55 by a curb or dividing wall, if desired, or these roadways may merge into each other to permit trafii'c to pass back and forth therebetween. The same comment applies to roadways 53 and 56.

Figure 6- illustrates a further modification of the invention, which is adapted for installation where a dead-end street intersects a through street. This modification of the invention requires roadways at three levels in order to provide all possible turns. Referring to Figure 6, a dead-end street 60 intersects a through street 61. dustrial sections traversed by a river or canal 62.

In order to accommodate trafiic in both directions on the intersecting streets and to provide all possible turns while, at the same time, maintaining a free flow of traflic in a single direction in separate lanes, I provide a lane 63 at street grade for right-turn trailic on the street 61. A depressed lane 64'carries through traiiic on the street 61 in the opposite direction. A passage 65, below grade, branching from the lane 64 permits left turns to be made from the street 61 into the street 60.

An elevated roadway 66 in the street 60 makes it possible to turn right or left into the street 61 onto an elevated lane 67 which carries traffic in opposite directions from the roadway 66. Traffie proceeding in the lane 63 may turn right into a, lane 68 at grade or proceed past the intersection through a passage 6 3a, beneath the elevated roadway 66, remaining at street level at all times.

Such intersection frequently exists in in- In an installation of this kind, I prefer to employ overhead bridges or underground tunnels for carrying pedestrian traffic across the vehicular lanes.

It will be apparent that the invention described is characterized by numerous advantages not possessed by crossing structures known heretofore. In the first place, the possibility of utilizing ground floor space under the elevated structure makes it feasible for the invention to be installed without expense to a municipality under an arrangement by which the installing agency collects the rental for such floor space for a period of time sufficient to amortize the investment represented by the installation.

Another advantage of the construction is that all turns are made on a long radius so that the turns may be made at fairly high speed with safety. A long turning radius is obtained, even on narrow streets, by placing certain of the elevated lanes for right-turning traflic adjacent the center of the street, between the depressed lanes for through traffic. It will be noted that in every case, the centrifugal force on a turning vehicle is such as to keep it on the elevated structure. There is thus no tendency for a vehicle to be catapulted over the edge of the structure. Suitable barriers will, of course, be employed. The possibility for pedestrians to cross at grade in both directions without being subject to the dangers involved in crossing high-speed trafilc lanes is another advantage of the invention. The fact that the commercial floor space made available beneath the structure is at the pedestrian crossing level, makes this space even more valuable. There are only two passages below grade and these need not be entirely underground so that the amount of excavation necessary is limited. The construction of the elevated roadways may be of unit type so as to be readily removable and easily portable. Traffic in each lane always flows in a single direction only and the great hazard of crossing intersections with trafiic flowing adversely is entirely eliminated.

In addition to the foregoing, the invention is comparatively inexpensive to install and since the maximum height is not excessive, the use of the invention does not involve any substantial obstruction to light and air. From the standpoint of safety, the invention has a further advantage in that left-hand turns necessitating crossing an adversely flowing traffic stream are avoided, although it is easily possible to travel around the block by right-hand turns in order to accomplish the same result as the ordinary left-hand turn.

Highway safety is thus immeasurably enhanced at the expense of only a negligible loss of time. The fact that traflic signals are unnecessary where the invention is employed makes it possible for trafiic to proceed at high speeds without interruption and without sacrificing the safety of the highways.

Since only a small proportion of the roadways is below grade, the drainage difficulties are minimized. There is, furthermore, no maintenance cost to be met. The invention is readily applicable to rail intersections as has been noted before.

As previously pointed out, the invention is susceptible to numerous variations which do not involve any departure from the spirit thereof or from the scope of the following claims.

Although I have employed the term street in the specification and claims, this term, obviously, is to be construed as defining any traffic artery, either rail or vehicular.

I claim:

1. In a crossing structure for intersections, the combination with separate, spaced underground. passages continuing through the intersection for through traffic, of an elevated roadway therebetween and turning right over the intersection for traffic turning right.

2. In a crossing structure for street intersection, a lane continuing through the intersection for through trafiic at the edge of one street, and a lane for right turning traffic adjacent the center of said street, said lane for right turning traffic being elevated and turning right over the intersection above said through lane.

3. In a crossing structure for intersecting streets, inner lanes elevated above the intersection and continuing through the intersection for through trafiic on one of said streets, outer lanes turning right over the intersection for traflic turning right from said one of said streets, elevated inner lanes turning right over the intersection for traflic turning right from the other of said streets, and depressed outer lanes continuing through the intersection for through traflic on said other street.

4. In a crossing structure for street intersections, contiguous elevated inner lanes continuing through the intersection for through traffic in both directions on one of said streets, outer lanes on opposite sides of the intersection for each other relative to their positioning in the street, elevated roadways disposed at an angle to the direction of said lanes and connecting with them, and lanes branching from said through trafiic lanes and turning right over the intersection for carrying right-turn traflic therefrom on to the other of said streets.

6. A crossing structure for street intersections comprising lanes continuing through the intersection for through trafific in opposite directions on one of said streets, said lanes on opposite sides of the intersection being offset from each other relative to their positioning in the street, elevated roadways disposed at an angle to the direction of said lanes and connecting with them, lanes branching from said through trafiic lanes and turning right over the intersection for carrying right-turn traffic therefrom on to the other of said streets, and elevated lanes turning right over the intersection for carrying rightturn traffic from said other street on to said firstmentioned street.

7. In a crossing structure for intersecting streets, elevated inside lanes continuing through the intersection for through trafiic on one of said streets, outside lanes turning right over the intersection for traflic turning right from said streets, said outside lanes merging into inside lanes in the other of said streets, and a depressed roadway continuing through the intersection for through traffic on said other street.

ALBERT S. JONES. 

